OET interlinear ZEP 3:8

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-quotations

לָ⁠כֵ֤ן חַכּוּ־לִ⁠י֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה לְ⁠י֖וֹם קוּמִ֣⁠י לְ⁠עַ֑ד

for=so/thus/hence wait to=me declares_of YHWH for,day_of rise_up,I as,witness

See how you translated the phrase “the declaration of Yahweh” in 1:2, 1:3, 1:10, and 2:9. If you used it to introduce the quotations in those places, you may wish to do the same thing here. Alternate translation: “This is what Yahweh declares: ‘Therefore wait for me, for the day of my arising to the prey’”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

לָ⁠כֵ֤ן חַכּוּ־לִ⁠י֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה לְ⁠י֖וֹם קוּמִ֣⁠י לְ⁠עַ֑ד

for=so/thus/hence wait to=me declares_of YHWH for,day_of rise_up,I as,witness

The imperative wait is plural, so Yahweh is addressing some group of people. That group could be: (1) the wicked Judeans who are still disobeying Yahweh despite his warnings. In that case, Yahweh would be using the term wait to indicate that he is certainly going to do what he describes. Your language may use the term “wait” in this same sense. If not, you could use plain language. Alternate translation: “‘Therefore, you sinful Judeans, just wait!’—the declaration of Yahweh—‘One day soon I will arise to the prey’” or “‘Therefore you can be certain, you sinful Judeans’—the declaration of Yahweh—‘that one day soon I will arise to the prey’” (2) the “humble of the earth” whom Zephaniah mentions in 2:3. In that case, Yahweh would be using the term wait to tell them to be patient until he punishes sin and enforces justice. Alternate translation: “‘Therefore, be patient, you godly people’—the declaration of Yahweh—‘until the day when I arise to the prey’”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

לְ⁠י֖וֹם קוּמִ֣⁠י

for,day_of rise_up,I

While Yahweh is going to punish sinful nations on a specific day, he is using that term here to refer to a specific time. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “until the time when I arise”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לְ⁠עַ֑ד

as,witness

Yahweh is speaking as if he were a predatory animal and the wicked nations and kingdoms that he is going to punish were prey that he was going to pounce on. (This could be an allusion to the description of Jerusalem’s “princes” as “lions” and its “judges” as “wolves” in 3:3, indicating that those who preyed on others will themselves become prey.) If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “to punish wicked people”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לְ⁠עַ֑ד

as,witness

The phrase translated to the prey could also be translated as a witness. If that is the meaning, then Yahweh would be speaking as if he were literally going to stand up and give evidence that these kingdoms and nations had sinned wickedly against him. If a translation of the Bible exists in your region, you may wish to use the reading that it uses. If a translation of the Bible does not exist in your region, you may wish to use the reading of ULT. Alternate translation: “as if I were going testify against you”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לִ⁠שְׁפֹּ֨ךְ עֲלֵי⁠הֶ֤ם זַעְמִ⁠י֙

to,pour_out on,them indignation_of,my

Yahweh is speaking as if his indignation were a liquid that he was going to pour out onto wicked nations and kingdoms. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “to punish them in my indignation”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / distinguish

כֹּ֚ל חֲר֣וֹן אַפִּ֔⁠י

all burning_of anger_of,my

The phrase all of the burning of my nose is a further description of Yahweh’s indignation. See how you translated the similar expression in 2:2. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “My anger against them is very intense”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

בְּ⁠אֵ֣שׁ קִנְאָתִ֔⁠י תֵּאָכֵ֖ל כָּל־הָ⁠אָֽרֶץ

in/on/at/with,fire_of jealousy_of,my consumed all/each/any/every the=earth/land

See how you translated the similar expression in 1:18. As the General Introduction to Zephaniah indicates, these parallel statements mark the boundaries between the major sections of the book. It may be helpful to your readers to translate them in the same way. Alternate translation: “I will destroy all of the people who live on the earth when I punish them in my jealousy”